Not Another Rubbish PR Survey
PR Surveys...
Like'em or not, if executed properly, a research-based PR campaign can be a fantastic way to achieve a big smacker of a news hit for your brand.
Of course surveys work best for well-known companies and should be conducted as a component of a larger PR campaign....
But when working on large consumer accounts, PRs can't ignore the fact that every national news publication uses surveys - even the Indy from time to time, in between trying to save the world.
In fact, I don't know any of the UK's leading PR agencies that don't conduct research for their clients. They pretty much all do.
So let's tell it like it is. The public love a good stat - a decent fact or figure. We aren't changing the world. It's not rocket science, nor is it ground-breaking journalism - it's entertainment - and if done correctly the survey formula can provide a golden opportunity for PR.
With this in mind I have put together a list of things to bear in mind when conducting research for PR purposes.
1. Use a reputable survey company:
This is not a plug for OnePoll - well maybe it is a little bit - but there are lots of market research companies out there. Ask what associations and societies they are members of and ask to see what experience they have doing research. Look for members of the MRS and ESOMAR. Have a look at research companies PRWeek suggest using in a recent article they published.
2. Target specific demographics:
A general poll of 3,000 Brits is great, but if you can poll a specific group it can strengthen your story. For example if your client is a parenting website - why not poll 1,000 parents on a parenting topic? One of my favourite survey-based stories of the year (courtesy of Cow PR) was for Insurance firm More Than who quizzed "50 former thieves about their tricks of the trade." Love it.
3. Split your demographics:
If you are polling 3,000 consumers - break your stats down by gender, region, occupation - even hair colour. Perhaps "people from Manchester have the worst diets" or "men are X many more times likely to cheat than women." By drilling down to the detail of your respondents you are creating additional angles which will give your story depth. A strong top-line stat followed by a host of subsequent data will help you create a page-lead worthy story as opposed to something which may end up as a Sun Spot.
4. Use a minimum of 15 - 20 questions:
If you're looking for a page-lead in a national newspaper you can't afford to scrimp on questions. 15 - 20 will usually provide robust, newsworthy data to help you create a decent show. Try and think of every detail. The more you have to write about, the more space they will give you.
5. Start with an angle before you write questions:
Think of your news angle first and then create your questions, but do not try to manipulate the outcome. Very often the public will say the exact opposite to what you imagined - but this can often lead to a stronger story. For example, recently we ran a survey to reveal how long men spend in the kitchen. The survey went against the grain to show men spend as long in the kitchen as women. Not what we expected but we wrote the story and it made well.
6. Don't over complicate your survey:
Instead of writing your question to read "rank these answers from 1-5 in your order of preference" - why not provide a simple list of options which respondents can tick. This way you will get a list which is organically rated in order of preference.
Likewise, if your research is for PR purposes - there is no real need for extensive cross-tabulations. Journalists want to know, for example, that "One in ten Brits are worried about their finances" not that "One in ten men, from Birmingham, over the age of 40 are worried about their finances" Keep it simple.
7. Get a spokesman/woman on board.
Third-party comment from an expert in the field, psychologist or government body will give your story weight. If no one of a decent calibre wants to comment on your story - take that as a sign that you probably shouldn't send it out.
8. Never underestimate the power of a list:
Everyone loves a list - "100 coolest things" "20 Sexiest Soap Stars" "50 Greatest Movies of all time" - if you can create a big list it could help you achieve a really great hit.
Written by Harriet
20 Tips to Help You Secure National News Coverage
The golden rule to securing press coverage is to read the nationals every day - in print and online.
Only by understanding these publications can you hope to communicate with them in a way that can secure you coverage.
But to help you along the way, here are our top 20 tips:
1. The benchmark is what NEWS EDITORS consider to be interesting, so remember to:
- Challenge or reinforce stereotypes: "Truckers have the best diets" or "Blondes have more fun"
- Make a lifestyle statement: Death of the fry-up / The bath is making a comeback / Tea overtakes coffee
- Create acronyms
- Identify syndromes
- Split people into types / groups
- Calculate lifetime spends
- Find "the average Brit"
2. Remember the product may be exciting to you but think: If you told one other person, would they pass the information on? How did your partner /friends respond when you told them about it?
3. Don't forget the detail. THE FIVE 'Ws' AND ONE 'H' Who / Why / What / When / Where / How. If a journalist writes about a story they will want to know everything.
4. Make sure your intro is not over two lines long, and, where possible, that the copy follows the ABCA rule:
A) Is the opening paragraph. It has to be short, sharp and punchy - "Britain is in the grip of web rage, according to new research."
B) You have created the momentum with a hard hitting opening paragraph; now crank it up another notch with a powerful second sentence - "More and more people are getting wound up over the length of time it takes to download material."
C) Third paragraph is the consequence opportunity - "Now one top web provider has appointed an online counsellor to sort out internet rows."
A) Fourth paragraph can be used to support the attention grabbing opener with a ball-busting quote or knock-out fact - "The cyber-rage phenomenon emerged from a survey of 3,000 computer-owning households by XXX"
5. When selling in over the phone, don't make it sound like the most exciting story in the world. It's not likely to even be the most exciting story that day - remember you are talking to people who deal with the most dramatic and incredible stories in the world on that day. Again: DON'T OVERSELL it.
6. Don't use exclamation marks - hacks see them as gimmicks used to make something funny or dramatic when it is neither.
7. Don't offer it exclusive unless you are dealing with a contact you know and trust.
8. Don't offer a story that makes claims in the intro that are not COMPLETELY backed up by stats. Do not bend stats too far.
9. Don't offer to make up a headline for them, or try to 'outpun' them.
10. NEVER put branding in an intro, except in the following cases: The client is a genuine household name / The story concerns a specific product / The story is a human interest piece focusing on a business individual
11. If you are worried that a story is not strong enough, it probably isn't. Don't put anything out if you think it is weak - if YOU think it is weak, imagine a newsdesk's reaction.
12. If you send out an over-branded or otherwise irrelevant release, you run two risks: The story will not make - meaning a wholesale waste of your time and resources and client disappointment. / The newspaper may remember the negative connotations NEXT time you try to pitch a story.
13. Agree on a snappy USP or a 'sound bite' which can be attached to your client. SWNS are known as "The biggest independent press agency in the UK" - who do you think made that up?!
14. When selling a story to a national newspaper or journalist - get to the point immediately. Remember that these people are working to strict deadlines.
15. Get to know newspaper's regional district reporters
16. Tune in to today's news agenda - will your story be eclipsed?
17. Use 'paper speak' - "is this one for you?" If it's not one for them, don't ask why
18. Send your story before newspaper morning conference (usually between 10.30am-11.00am)
19. Précis the story in 30 seconds or less
20. Ask in what format they would like to receive it
Written by Harriet Crosse
72Point Blog
72 Point are national news PR & survey specialists. Achieving daily print & online news exposure for the UK’s largest brands and PR agencies.
